Track Time

Motorcycle track days — something every street Rossi should experience. For those who have only ever ridden on the street and have some irrational belief that they have outgrown their 600cc modern sport bike, the supermoto/minimoto events hosted by the GAMRA/NSMGP group at the NOLA Motorsports Park should seriously be considered. Why? Because it is less of a race and more of a motorcycle control clinic. Of course there is friendly competition within the group and that is the other key point for attending; friendship. The atmosphere of a GAMRA event can be likened to autocross events. It is a vehicle control clinic whose participants are adrenaline filled enthusiasts who can’t wait to discuss their runs of the day as well as give and receive advice. This is where you need to be if you want to grow as a rider and have the best time on two wheels without being seriously maimed or killed.

Nothing is more impressive than a mod list ten pages long. Just kidding, a lot of things are more impressive than a mod list ten pages long, things like achievements and being able to relish in the fact that “less is more” is a winning formula for Minh Genie and his 1995 Honda Civic AKA The Duck.

Picture this, a private airport nestled in what used to be rich horse country somewhere in central Florida. It’s February and in the low 80’s out. All you can hear is the noise coming from the Corvette rolling past with an open BOV at idle. Wait a second… I thought this was the tranquil countryside? These events are something wholly different from any other. They bring together some of the most powerful and fastest street cars (and plenty of trailer queens) in off-the-map locations for one purpose; to go fast.

Every racecar is a show car, but very few show cars are racecars. That saying has stuck with me since I heard it a while back. It goes through my head often when walking between the ranks of cars at a show or meet. Usually it’s easy to spot the cars made for hardparking and those made for driving. On occasion though, you find one that is at home doing both. Jay’s S2000 definitely falls into that category. The first time I saw the car I walked right past it and commented something snide to my friends about another car falling victim to the growing trend of enormous wings that never see more than highway speeds. I was wrong. I’m glad I was wrong.

What seems to come to mind for some when thinking about rotary powered sports cars is a distinct lack of torque and a sound akin to lawn equipment. Let me tell you, this car plays be neither of those rules. This 3rd generation RX-7 has the perfect amount of power anywhere you want it and makes noises most Subarus would be proud of. The owner, Kurt, has truly made something incredible out of an already special car.

With a team of four, a car destined for the scrap yard, and some semblance of determination, you too can become a real(ish) race car driver. If this video whets your appetite for racing and you want more info from Dave, shoot him a message on Facebook at Disco Racing Team.

One thing that never really seems important at a drift event is the amount of body panels still on the car at the end. In fact, it seems that the enjoyment level is inversely proportional to that body panel number.

One thing I’d truly been hoping I could make it to this year was the End of Year Bash held at NOLA Motorsports Park and put on by the guys at NODRFT. Luckily it all worked out and I found myself meeting a new group of drifters and checking out a facility I had previously not been able to make it to. If you see the NODRFT name on something I recommend you go find out what it’s all about, these guy throw down. When it comes to grassroots drifting I have become a little jaded. It’s typically a few hours of watching the same people try and do the same things and an excuse to have a few beers. This event is wholly different. There’s still plenty of time for beer though.

Welcome to an environment where petty automotive differences are put aside and focus is tightened down to one aspect; the driver. Autocross has and will always be the go-to source for personal automotive indulgence and skill honing. Considering the overall cost of entry and minimal wear and tear of the vehicle, autocross is the automotive sport for the layman as well as The Stig.

What an entertaining way to ruin tires; the act of drifting. While being quite possibly one of the most exciting things you can do with a car, drifting has become the automotive anarchists’ way of reaching an adrenaline high through fast cars, loud noises, and copious amounts of tire smoke. The rules are simple — clutch kick, counter steer, and keep drifting fun.